Research Reports - Do children and adolescents With mild traumatic brain injury and persistent symptoms benefit from treatment?

J Head Trauma Rehabil. 2015 Feb 19

Winkler R(1), Taylor NF

OBJECTIVE:: To review the literature on treatment interventions in children and
adolescents with mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) and persistent symptoms.
DESIGN:: Systematic review of the literature yielding 6 studies incorporating 421
children and adolescents with mTBI.
RESULTS:: A variety of medical and nonmedical interventions have been used to
treat the persistent symptoms of mTBI in children and adolescents. Treatment
included medications for headaches, transcranial stimulation for headaches,
giving information booklets, nurse visits, cognitive and physical rest, and
active rehabilitation (exercise). All 6 studies reported positive results; but
none was a randomized controlled trial, only 1 included a no-treatment comparison
group, and none compared different interventions.
CONCLUSION:: It is difficult to determine whether the positive findings resulted
from intervention or reflected natural resolution of the symptoms with time.
There is a need for more, higher-quality studies of interventions designed to
reduce the duration and severity of persistent postconcussion symptoms.